"Everyone, please stay calm. Jiraiya must have his reasons for doing this."
Just as everyone was worrying about Uchiha Chen, a voice came from behind them.
"Lord Third!"
Everyone turned around and saw that the speaker was none other than the Lord Third, Hiruzen Sarutobi. They were all so shocked their mouths hung open.
"Lord Third, what are you doing here? It's dangerous. You should—"
Aoba Yamashiro froze for a moment, then quickly recovered and spoke in a hurry.
"It's precisely because it's dangerous that I came to take a look."
The Lord Third, Hiruzen Sarutobi, waved a hand, interrupting Aoba Yamashiro before he could continue.
"Let's focus on what's happening up ahead."
As he spoke, the Lord Third fixed his gaze on Uchiha Chen, his eyes gleaming.
If what Village Chief Izumiya said was true, Uchiha Chen should be able to deal with that old man.
Though they were still confused, even the Lord Third had said so, and they could only turn their attention to the battlefield ahead.
"Jiraiya, you dare look down on me like this? I'll finish off a brat like him in five minutes, then come back and deal with you!"
Ya stared at Uchiha Chen disdainfully. His speed suddenly increased, and four fireballs lined up in a straight row like a sharp sword, shooting toward Uchiha Chen.
Uchiha Chen didn't even look up. He simply extended a hand, and a water dragon roared forth, meeting the four fireballs head-on.
As the water dragon dissipated, the four fireballs Ya had released were doused as well, and more clouds of steam billowed upward.
"He stopped them!"
"So fast! I didn't even see Uchiha Chen form the hand seals!"
"Was the Water Release that put out the flames on the wall just now Uchiha Chen's doing?!"
"Gasp! Now that you mention it, that really could be it!"
"I never expected Uchiha Chen to be so skilled in Water Release. No wonder Lord Jiraiya sent him out to fight!"
Seeing Uchiha Chen use Water Release to counter Ya's fireballs, the Konoha Ninja on the wall marveled, and their worries eased.
"Hmph, that was just a test. Now I'll show you what real Scorch Release looks like!"
Ya snorted and was about to form hand seals when he saw something astonishing!
Uchiha Chen smiled faintly and casually waved a hand. Four fireballs appeared before him, arranged in a square.
"Scorch Release?!"
"What's going on? Uchiha Chen can use Scorch Release too?"
The instant they saw Uchiha Chen use Scorch Release, everyone wore the same astonished expression. Almost every pair of eyes widened, and their jaws nearly hit the ground. They were completely stunned by what they were seeing.
"Could this be... the Sharingan's copying ability? No, that can't be right. Even the Sharingan can't copy a Kekkei Genkai, can it?"
Jiraiya and the Lord Third, Hiruzen Sarutobi, were both his former teachers, and true to form, they were not only shocked but also wondering how Uchiha Chen could use Scorch Release.
"Are you the one who defeated my disciple, Pakura?"
Ya narrowed his eyes and stared directly at Uchiha Chen. He remembered that some time ago, his disciple Pakura had told him she'd been defeated by a Uchiha Clan ninja who could also use Scorch Release!
"You're Pakura's teacher? You don't seem all that impressive. Let me show you how Scorch Release... is done."
Uchiha Chen stared coldly at Ya, his expression blank.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
Uchiha Chen opened his mouth, and a powerful gale burst forth. The four fireballs swelled in the wind, growing several times larger in the blink of an eye.
The gale carried the flames outward in a spreading wave, sweeping toward Ya and the vast Sunagakure force behind him.
Even from more than ten meters away, Ya could feel the terrifying heat.
"Fall back!"
Ya's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly shouted to the Sunagakure force behind him.
But the roar of the gale and the waves of fire was so loud that the Sunagakure Ninja didn't hear him at all.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!"
The Sunagakure Ninja on the hillside who specialized in Water Release and Earth Release rushed forward, giving their all to use the corresponding defensive techniques.
They hadn't expected that the gale and waves of fire had already become an unstoppable inferno. Their reach kept expanding, and their power continued to grow.
One Water Formation Wall after another was instantly evaporated. The Earth Flow Walls fared no better: the terrifying heat dried and cracked them in an instant, then the gale that followed shattered them.
Seeing this world-ending sight, the Sunagakure Ninja sucked in sharp breaths and fled in a panic.
Quite a few of them were so terrified they stood there dumbfounded, like clay figures or wooden statues, frozen in place until the flames swallowed them.
With just one move, at least a hundred Sunagakure Ninja had fallen!
"He combined Wind Release with Scorch Release... Chen, just how many surprises are you hiding from me?"
Jiraiya sat atop the toad's head, his eyes shining as he watched Uchiha Chen's back.
"What terrifying power!"
"Did everyone see that? That's a ninja of our Uchiha Clan!"
"Can someone slap me? I feel like I'm dreaming!"
"Smack!"
"Gasp, that hurt! You actually hit me, you jerk!"
"Hahaha, sorry! I was just too happy!"
The Konoha Ninja on the wall burst into one cheer after another. Every one of them stared at Uchiha Chen, exhilarated. His performance had far exceeded their expectations!
"With talent like that, no wonder Jiraiya and Tsunade took an interest in him. Even I... am a little tempted."
The Lord Third, Hiruzen Sarutobi, puffed on his pipe, keeping his gaze fixed on Uchiha Chen. No one knew what he was thinking.
On the battlefield,
Watching the Sunagakure Ninja being devoured by the waves of fire, Chiyo's eyes bulged with rage. She waved her hand, and the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets charged at Uchiha Chen with their blades.
But before long, a yellow blur knocked the Chikamatsu Ten Puppets all back.
Chiyo took a closer look. A young man with yellow hair and a radiant smile stood in her way, holding a distinctive three-pronged kunai.
"Chiyo, isn't two against one a little unfair?"
"Namikaze Minato!"
Chiyo's expression instantly grew grave.
"Everyone, attack together! He can't use a technique of that scale a second time! Kill him!"
In the Sunagakure force, a Sunagakure jonin shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Kill!"
But just as the Sunagakure Ninja were about to charge all at once, the ground before them suddenly began to shake violently.
The hard ground softened, turning into a swamp. It kept spreading until it became an impassable bog.
"Swamp of the Underworld—complete!"
Jiraiya grinned atop the toad's head.